After what seems like countless seasons of ever-shorter skirt lengths, my knees and I are rejoicing at the arrival of the midi skirt! Don’t have the legs (or confidence?) for a mini? Overwhelmed by the maxi? Love to be on trend with a ladylike classic for all seasons? The midi-is for you!
My personal midi-quest started after this picture popped up on my Instagram feed:
Here sits AW, in all her fabulous glory at Veuve Clicquot’s Champagne House in France! After seeing this pic, I immediately added two things to my must-do-in-life list: 1. Visit the Champagne region 2. Get a fabulous midi skirt, stat! Number 2 seemed like a more immediately achievable goal and I hopped to it! (As a side note, in the days following this picture being taken, AW was engaged! Such is the power of the midi-skirt, sublime seekers!*)
As stylin’ as AW is, she’s not the only one sporting the ladylike length. Prada, Céline and Rodarte trail-blazed the revival of this 1950′s trend in their 2012 Spring collections, 18 months ago. The midi appeared again 2013 Fall/Winter (the season we’re just going into here), 2014 Spring collections and most recently again in the the 2014 Fall/Winter collections coming out of New York, London and Milan now! Read = a mid(i)-sized investment will serve you well in the seasons to come!
I’m sold! Show me the midi’s!
As is the case with jumpsuits, midi’s are all of a sudden everywhere! My ever-patient, ever-resourceful shopping companion SW and I scoured Sydney city last Sunday in search of the perfect ladylike skirt for me. I bought three! (SW might have bought one or two too)! While the ‘scuba-midi’ (long pencil skirt) is also big this season, I only have eyes for A-line. These are my picks of what’s out now!
Classic in Black
1. Country Road $179; 2. Cue $259; 3. David Lawrence; $169; 4. Modcloth, $51.99USD; 5. Ezra via The Iconic, $29.95
Pretty Patterns
1. Sportsgirl, $79.95; 2. Review, $189.99; 3. Lela Rose via Net-A-Porter $2,551.14; 4. J.Crew, $298; 5. Portmans; $99.95 (I got this one! Squeee!)
Monochrome Magic
1. Laura Ashley, $125.95 (was $169) ; 2. Tibi via Net-A-Porter, $791.72 3. Veronika Maine $179; 4. Halogen via Nordstrom; (in regular and petite) $79USD; 5. ASOS Curve, $39.61
Lovely and Light
1. Karen Millen, $145 (was $279) ; 2. Witchery,$99.95; 3. Topshop, £48; 4. Asos, $62.72 5. Saba, $229; 6. Zimmerman, $2,500
Navy and Red
1. Kitten D’Amour, $149; 2. Tibi via Net-A-Porter, $684.14; 3. Modcloth, $69.99USD; 4. Modcloth, $57.99USD 5. ASOS, $69.60; 6. Nicholas via The Iconic, $599,
Tips for midi success!
Nervous? You can rock this, sublime-seekers! Some styling tips:
- Tuck your top in. Exposing the entire length of the skirt will make your legs look longer!
- Better yet, make that top form-fitting or pick a waist-cinching belt. Volume down the bottom, needs some flattering balance to avoid frump.
- Like a low cut or midriff top? The midi makes the perfect partner. Demure enough to balance out the super sexy.
- If you opt for a pencil/tube/scuba style midi (not featured here, we’re all about the a-line, full-skirted midi today) stick to heels. If you’re rocking a more voluminous midi, you can get away with flats, like AW did in her stylish champagne adventure!
- Taller dames can pull off any length midi, shorter dames may be safer with a just-past-the-knee length, or a midi that stops where you leg starts to thin out towards your angle (read = fattest bit of your calf).
- If your midi is longer but you’re not long-legged, your safest bet is a shoe with low contrast to your leg colour. Nudes are your friend.
- Feeling a bit too Stepford Wives for your liking? Pair with some edgy accessories; a metallic bag, a studded bracelet.
However you choose to wear it, may your midi make you feel fabulous through all seasons and all regions… including that of the Champagne!
♥AS
*this may, or may not, be a total misrepresentation of the midi skirt’s powers.
Have you found a midi-skirt you love? Tell us below!
8 Comments
Oh my I love that skirt! I am so glad that midi skirts are all the rage now! You look so cute!
Thank you! I’m cheering for the midi skirt too!
I love midi skirts, but I don’t think the full skirt suits me. I am more of a Mad Men – like midi pencil skirt kinda gal.
Love how it looks on you though!
B x
Thanks Barbe! I must confess my pear-shaped curves led me to ignore the pencil midi’s, but for gal’s like you who can pull it off, it’s such a great look! x